James Linn was a United States Representative from New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

. Born in Bedminster Township

Bedminster Township, New Jersey

Bedminster Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 8,165....

, he pursued preparatory studies and graduated from Princeton College in 1769. He studied law, was admitted to the bar

Bar (law)

Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...

 in 1772 and commenced practice in Trenton

Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...

. He returned to Somerset County

Somerset County, New Jersey

Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....

 and was judge of the Court of Common Pleas; he was a member of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey

Provincial Congress of New Jersey

The Provincial Congress of New Jersey was a transitional governing body of the Province of New Jersey in the early part of the American Revolution. It first met in 1775 with representatives from all New Jersey's then-thirteen counties, to supersede the Royal Governor...

 in 1776. During the Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 he served as captain in the Somerset County Militia in 1776, and first major from 1776 to 1781. He was a member of the New Jersey Legislative Council

New Jersey Legislative Council

The New Jersey Legislative Council was the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature under the New Jersey Constitution of 1776 until it was replaced by the New Jersey Senate under the Constitution of 1844.-History:...

 (now the New Jersey Senate

New Jersey Senate

The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

) in 1777, and returned to Trenton; he served in the New Jersey General Assembly

New Jersey General Assembly

The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

 in 1790 and 1791, and from 1793 to 1797 was again a member of the State Council serving as Vice-President of Council

Vice-President of Council

The Vice-President of Council of the New Jersey Legislature would succeed the Governor if a vacancy occurred in that office.-List of past Vice-Presidents of Council:...

 in 1796-97.

Linn was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Sixth Congress, serving from March 4, 1799 to March 3, 1801; he was not a candidate for renomination in 1800 to the Seventh Congress. He was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...

 to be supervisor of the revenue and served from 1801 to 1809, and from 1809 to 1820 he served as Secretary of State of New Jersey

Secretary of State of New Jersey

The Secretary of State of New Jersey is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as well as volunteerism and community service projects within the state....

. Linn died in Trenton; interment was in the Lamington Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Somerset County.